A Noxious Compulsion
by Scythe-chan
Summary: Earring. Bells. Flowers. Kuroko Tetsuko was finally free after having been isolated in that wretched room for 16 years. Watering the blue petunias she could only view from the window, bells ring and her head spins. Suitcases and cash were flung onto her, but what she could register was her grandfather's calling, " Marry one of the six prospects and leave the family. " AkaxFemKuro
1. Memories

**Author's Note:**

**I decided to try out a story fanfic and sure hope it'll turn out good! Also, this will stay as a oneshot unless I have motivation or demands to continue it. I realised all I do are slice-of-life fanfictions, so why not? I was trying to think of a Fem!Kuroko x Akashi plot, and finally thought of this.**

**Summary: Earring. Bells. Flowers. Kuroko Tetsuko was finally free after having been isolated in that wretched room for 16 years. Gingerly touching her earring. Watering the blue petunias she was only limited to seeing from the window then. Her ears catch the sound of bells and her head spins, subconsciously expecting someone. Suitcases and wads of cash were flung onto her, and what she could ever register was her grandfather's calling, " From today onwards, you shall leave the house and live alone. You will have nothing to do with us once you have married one of the six prospects I have chosen for you. "**

**Rated: T**

***Tetsuko is 20 years old**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no Basuke!**

* * *

_She hears the sounds of those little bells she was familiar with. Excited, she turned around to greet the owner. The boy smiles softly and pats her head, giving her the usual compliment of how lovely her tresses were. Letting out a rare, musical laugh, she thanked him._

_Painted with the boy's look of despair and farewells, the day seemed a little too depressing for the young girl to bear. She opened her mouth._

_She closed it, struggling to piece some carefully picked out words for her sentence. She can't just be that rude and ask him why his expression seemed so down. Her blue orbs stared at his face and tried to search for a clue. The boy was surprised and smiled._

_" Four and you're still so short, " he commented._

_" People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones, you're five, " Tetsuko pouted, gesturing to how she was almost as tall as the older. He shrugged it off with a smirk, " I hope you learn a very special lesson when puberty comes, Tetsuko. "_

_" Maybe, " the girl replied. The boy turns and silently makes a leave without saying goodbye. However, the girl knows this. This cheeky and mischievous little one would always leave without a word to make the girl look like an idiot when she called for him. Quickly, she gripped on the sleeve of his hakama, bursting into tears. " Hey, don't leave me. It's scary being alone in this large house! "_

_The boy did not know his actions would cause the girl to feel trauma. He frowned. The male did not like seeing his beloved friend crying, especially since she was the only one who could ever understand him and his quirks. With a soft sigh of sadness that he hoped she would not catch, he sauntered to the large land full of flowers and, after a close observation, held on the stem of a blue petunia and picked it off, giving it to Tetsuko. _

_With a rather enigmatic smile, he told the girl._

_" A petunia represents- "_

Tetsuko opened her eyes and sat up, a gasp leaving her lips. While calming herself down, she wiped the beads of sweat off her forehead with her sleeve. Subconsciously, she touched her red, crown-shaped earring on her right ear. Feeling more at ease, the girl checked the time. _6.07am_, she read from the clock on the wall. 35 minutes should be enough for her to have a shower and fix her appearance. Tetsuko gained freedom from the room she had to be shut in during her 20th birthday and today would be the first time she would attend the monthly meeting.

Truth be told, the clan despised Tetsuko. The Kuroko family were all excited when they heard one of the head's sons would be a father. All the servants were all ordered to make preparations, they pampered the expecting wife, put up charms to ward off evil spirits and even had well-known fortune tellers come in. Out of the 15 they had asked for their service, 11 propheised that the baby would be a unique and gifted boy. Imagine their disappointment when it turned out it was Tetsuko.

Tetsuko had a feeling the head- her grandfather had something else in mind for her. She never exactly liked the old man. All she could ever remember when she saw him around the house were a pair of overbearing and enigmatic eyes. Eyes that seemed to be able to read every detail of what she was thinking and feeling. Her soul, maybe.

After a very much needed wash, she dried her hair and changed into a blue furisode with a lovely floral design that was placed on her bed by one of the servants. " Aah, it seems too long, " she muttered to herself, staring at her hip-length hair that accumulated over the 16 years and decided to tie it up into a bun, sliding a simple golden ornament into it. _Hopefully, this does not seem too extravagant_, she thought. She certainly did not appreciate being lectured in front of an audience when she steps in.

Tetsuko walked towards the small vase that held a blue petunia and broke into a small smile. She did not comprehend why, but looking at the flower made her feel extremely relaxed. She brought a hand to her mouth, trying to stifle the thoughtful chuckle. It was ironic as a petunia represented anger.

_6.45am_, she checked. She had better move off now. The house was huge enough she could get lost, no way did she want to be late. Sliding the door open, she stepped out of the room and caught a glimpse of the flowers that were being grown in the garden.

Tetsuko turned and quietly navigated her way around the house.

* * *

If there was nothing more dangerous than this man in front of her, she'll really feel extremely troubled.

" Well, well, the princess has finally entered, " the man smirked. Apparently, she had entered 3 mins before the meeting time and was rather thankful until she was confronted by the stranger, of course. With a monotonous gaze, she questioned, " may I know what's your name? " The man had two piercings each on his ear and had wild, messy gray hair. Tetsuko presumed that he was not a Kuroko by the aura he was emitting. Despite his overconfidence and overwhelming presence, he seemed to shift rather awkwardly in the room, walking back and forth and pondering on the place he should be sitting before the guy finally noticed her.

" Name's Haizaki Shougo, I'm sent from my clan to discuss some matters. Tch, troublesome, but how lucky it is to finally meet the princess in person. Hey, we can always go out for a drink or two, you know? Come on, " he urged Tetsuko, who effortlessly kept up a strong front.

" Silence, Haizaki-kun. I hope you do know manners, " a firm and strict voice ordered. The head, along with a few relatives had already been at the door. Tetsuko was well, perhaps quite surprised to see that other people aside from her had a lack of presence. The newcomers sat in their positions and the two of them did the same. It was tense, Tetsuko noted. The meeting had started with her grandfather discussing with Haizaki. She learnt that the Haizaki clan held power over the building industry, and it seemed that she was involved by the small looks the others were giving her. Straightening her back, she continued listening, gaining more knowledge along the way.

Just as she was getting into the situation, her grandfather turned his head to her and requested, " Tetsuko, please leave the room. "

Tetsuko was disappointed, wanting to learn more but complied to his request. With a small " please excuse me ", she stood up, slid the door open and shut it after she had stepped out of the room quietly. From the atmosphere of the room, the discussion between Haizaki and her grandfather heavily involved her. She hoped it wasn't anything she done wrong, trying to think up of anything significant that she did before while trying to find her way back to her room.

Every servant that passed by Tetsuko received a greeting from her, which was returned with a hasty hello. Something that the servants found odd, to be honest. None of the family would ever acknowledge verbally, the usual was to give a nod or a glance. The 17th servant that Tetsuko passed by was a voluptuous woman with blonde hair and red, framed glasses. Tetsuko greeted once more, feeling the strain in her throat. The woman did not bother to hide her surprise, composed herself and gave an energetic, informal greeting.

Tetsuko found her interesting.

" Um, what is your name? " She asked curiously. _She seems foreign._

" Alexandra Garcia's my name, miss! Er... Kuroko Tetsuko, yeah? " Alexandra introduced herself, adjusting her obi, muttering, " damn, this Japanese stuff is really hard to deal with.. " Tetsuko moved to Alexandra's back, helping her to redo the obi. " Ah, thanks, Tetsuko-sama! " Alexandra exclaimed, giving her thanks.

" Tetsuko-sama seems too strange. Please, call me something else, " Tetsuko asked, her eyebrows furrowed.

" Tetsuko-chan, then! If you'll excuse me, I'll go water the flowers now, ahahas, " Alexandra laughed boisterously, which Tetsuko found refreshing. It was somewhat nice to see how everyone were not the typical servants that were depicted in the books she read. Tetsuko noted the watering can that Alexandra was holding and with the excitement she had covered by her monotonous mask, she asked, " Alexandra-san, may I have the watering can? I would love to water the flowers, if I may. "

" Mm, if that's what you want, then you can have it, Tetsuko-chan. You can leave it outside your room when you're finished, I'll pick it up. See you later! " Alexandra handed the watering can to her and turned her back, giving a small wave. Her obi loosened again and Tetsuko could hear the curses coming from the hallway. She chuckled as she filled the watering can with water.

Tetsuko stepped to the garden and admired the view. Laying her eyes on the blue petunias, she decided to water them first, and then move on to the others. She loved the blue petunias most. A sincere smile graced her face and one could even say that an angel had appeared. She began humming a tune when the sound of bells interrupted her.

Bells.

Tetsuko immediately spun her head and tried to track the source. The sound was familiar, it belonged to someone she can't really remember anymore, but she knew that the person was precious and dear to her. However, by the time she had seen a face, suitcases and cash were flung onto her.

_What?_ She was surprised when she discovered that her grandfather, Alexandra, Haizaki and some of the servants were staring at her. Her grandfather looked strict, as always. Alexandra seemed extremely cheerful while Haizaki's smirk could never leave his face. Alexandra and Haizaki picked up the suitcases and money the grandfather had tossed and handed them to Tetsuko.

" Leave the house after you have changed into proper clothing. The furisode will get dirty, " her grandfather said simply. Tetsuko's eyes stared into his for clarification. The grandfather clicked his tongue in exasperation.

" From today onwards, you shall live with Alexandra in one of the houses I have bought from the Haizaki group. You will no longer have ties to the Kuroko family after you have married into one of the six marriage prospects' family I have picked out for you. Is that clear? I hope so. Haizaki-kun, drive her to the house after she has done her preparations. "

* * *

Tetsuko felt rather dazed after having faced such events.

Sure, she had felt the animosity against her since 16 years ago ( she was a very perceptive child ), but to think that the head would tell her to leave was like a slap to her face. Just a month after having been freed from that room seemed unreasonable.

Haizaki slid a CD into the music player and out came metal. He bobbed his head to it while driving.

Tetsuko, well, wanted to cry.

Alexandra seemed to notice this and pushed the girl's head to her chest. Tetsuko started to sob quietly and once they reached their destination, Haizaki asked why there was a patch of water on her clothes ( not that he minded though, he had tried flirting with her but ended up with a kick to his stomach ). They went up the doorsteps and opened the door.

" Please excuse m- " The trio mumbled.

" Oh, welcome, welcome in! Hey, isn't that you, Kuroko-cchi? Uwaah, how coincidential to have Kuroko-cchi as my bride-to-be~ " A blond man stood at the entrance, his smile stretching from ear to ear after laying his eyes on the bluenette. The bluenette blinked, a trace of recognisation coming to her eyes.

_He threw the sunflower the blond had given to her as a present to the ground. _


	2. Recall

**Author's Note:**

**Thanks for all the reviews, favourites and follows, guys! I decided to do the second chapter, which is rather inevitable considering the plot. To be honest, I don't have any idea how it's going to go from here, so there might be some gaps that I may find in time and patch them up. **

**Kise is going to appear along with his two elder sisters! Tadatoshi Fujimaki didn't exactly design his two elder sisters ( he stated Kise officially had two, though ), so I decided to name the two of them, Akemi and Minori. I didn't give them names that started with " Ryo ", instead, I gave them names that could be somewhat similar to the meaning of Ryouta. Ryouta literally means " cool boy ", thus Akemi's " bright beauty " while Minori's " truth ".**

**... They don't sound too similar, do they.**

**I hope I didn't depict him too OOC, that would be really bad if I did. I don't exactly have the ability to type long chapters, so if it seems rather badly written, I apologise. **

**Please give some constructive criticism, they're greatly appreciated!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no Basuke.**

* * *

_There were times when a 6 year old Tetsuko had a visitor. _

_Of course, she was currently stuck in her room then, but thankfully, she was able to have people visiting her. The boy that would visit her had blond hair and always brought with him a stalk of sunflower. He was a ball of energy and had contributed to brightening up her life, but no matter what, her mind wanders to why __**he**__ would never come to visit anymore. _

_Times like this made her cry, but it always seemed that the blond would always come and cuddle her, comforting her with words that she clutched tightly. _

_Ahh, how she loved the two that they had mixed orange, never to separate._

" ...Kise-kun? " Tetsuko tilted her head up to look at him properly. The man's eyes brightened and nodded repeatedly, " Whoa, you remembered me all this while. Kuroko-cchi, you're awesome! " Haizaki frowned and pushed Kise aside, glaring at him, " hey, mind moving, you little brat? It's someone's house. "

" Surely, I have a right to enter her house as a potential marriage prospect. "

" Without permission? You're stepping on grounds that belongs to the Haizaki group, you filthy rascal. "

Tetsuko knew that if they continued bickering, the house might as well turn to a bloody battlefield. She was however grateful when Alexandra successfully shut them up by a threat to the cemetery with a baseball bat as her weapon. Sighing, she took off her shoes and looked around the place she was going to be living in. There was a living room, kitchen, studyroom, bathroom and two bedrooms. Many would say that it was not a place suited for one of the Kuroko descendants, but to Tetsuko the house was deemed enough.

Alexandra rushed up to the smaller bedroom and immediately jumped on the bed, laughing. _She seems so happy_, Tetsuko thought, opening the door to hers. She stepped in, noticing that it was fully furnished and opened the windows to have some ventilation. The house was situated near a hill full of nature, which she thought she would go visit next time. Staring at the clouds, it was inevitable that she wouldn't be able to notice that someone had entered, no matter how perceptive.

" Kuroko-cchi~, " Kise sang. Tetsuko turned around and saw him standing at the entrance, his hand shoved in his pocket and the other holding a sunflower. Kise casually walked up to her and held up the sunflower, sadly smiling.

" This time, it wouldn't be thrown onto the ground, right? "

Tetsuko could have sworn her heart broke.

" I wouldn't know, Kise-kun. I wouldn't know. "

* * *

Tetsuko was given a very overwhelming welcome after having been escorted by Kise to his mansion to visit his parents. She had literally got her energy drained.

Unlike Tetsuko's family, Kise's family was very sophisticated, as expected from a powerful influence in the fashion industry. If the head were to describe, it would be, " A wealthy and influential group where even they garnered followers of extremely high status. They are very whimsical and wild, which shows in the clothing they design and models they have. "

In short, the Kise family was far more powerful and stronger than the Kuroko family. The head would never admit.

" Tetsu-chan, you've grown so much! " Kise Minori, the second child of the family, exclaimed. The eldest sibling, Akemi, crossed her arms, nodding, " You're a B cup, huh? Could be bigger. "

" Please stop groping me, Akemi-san. You're creasing my homongi, " Tetsuko requested, trying to get her prying hands off the expensive clothing. " It's alright, it's alright, Tetsuko. You'll be wearing an uchikake soon, wouldn't you? " Akemi chuckled and Kise blushed, embarassed at the remark. Tetsuko remained silent while Alexandra tried to stifle her laughter.

" Anyways, our parents are actually abroad for some business matters, so there really isn't much you could do here. Oh, but, Tetsu-chan, wouldn't you want a haircut by yours truly? It looks rather long, " Minori patted her pockets and drew out a comb, smiling. Apparently, Minori was an extremely talented hairdresser which many people involved in the entertainment industry would sought after. She nodded and bowed, giving her sincere thanks.

Directing her to a room that greatly resembled a salon, Minori sat her down and began to trim the uneven ends.

" It'll be awesome if you stayed over today, Tetsu-chan. " _Snip._

" I've been told to ask to stay over by Haizaki-kun since they still need to fix the house a bit. Is that alright? " Tetsuko's eyes followed the blade, adding in a soft tone that Minori could hear, " ah, could I have my hair below my shoulders? " Minori's eyes brightened at the piece of information and nodded excitedly, " okay! I'll just tell Ryo-ch- "

" It's already done, Minori, " Akemi was standing at the door, a knowing smile appearing on her face. _Ah, they're really pretty_, Tetsuko thought. One was an expert hairdresser and another was a fashion coordinator, but they were beautiful enough to be models. Minori had blonde, spiky and short hair, her fringe not touching her eyebrows. The second sibling also put on earrings and had the aura of an extremely professional yet punk woman. Tetsuko silently laughed when she remembered the Minori from back then, when Tetsuko was 6 and Minori was 8, Minori hid behind Akemi when they visited, almost bursting into tears. Now, Minori was full of overpowering confidence. She was almost like Kise, but was not an airhead.

As for Akemi, the eldest, an air of seriousness and authority surrounded her, but when she finally reached home, she would be more relaxed and cheerful. Her fringe touched her eyebrows and she had straight, long hair. No matter how old Kise was, she pampered and spoilt him and got him into the modelling industry, often dolling him up even when he did not have a busy schedule.

" Finished, Tetsu-chan~! " Minori sang.

" Oh, a good job as usual, Minori, " Akemi complimented, envious of her younger's skills. Even though Akemi was superb in coordination, she had offered trimming others' hair before.

The result was a disaster and no one let Akemi near anything that could cut.

Tetsuko looked at herself using the mirror and smiled, nodding, " thank you, Minori-chan. This is just right. " She stood up, patted her clothing and patiently waited for Minori to finish cleaning up. The three of them, Tetsuko, Minori and Akemi left the room, starting up a small conversation. The trio stopped at another room's door, Akemi turned the doorknob and opened it, revealing Alexandra and Kise energetically speaking with each other, laughing over lame jokes.

To keep up with Kise's pace was difficult, hence Tetsuko mentally applauded Alexandra for doing such a troublesome and hard task.

Kise's eyes immediately laid on Tetsuko and stood up. " You're so cute, Kuroko-cchi! " He exclaimed, giving the said girl a tight hug, spinning her around. " Please stop, Kise-kun. You're making me dizzy, " Tetsuko warned.

" You guys are still addressing each other by surname? God, kill yourselves. I know it's not decided yet, but at least be intimate with each other, you morons, " Akemi had a look of disgust, waving her hand in a way that wanted to them to leave.

" Now, now, neesama, calm down. Your black side is showing, " Minori laughed heartily, patting Akemi's shoulder. Akemi took a minute to compose herself, which Tetsuko and Kise also used to get rid of the fear they had for Akemi.

" Ryouta, " Akemi told Tetsuko.

" Ryouta-kun, " Tetsuko spoke emotionlessly, as if she was used to it.

" Tch, oh well, I guess that's better than nothing, " Akemi sighed. Next, she turned to her brother. Kise was already red before she even said anything. Akemi scratched her head at this problem.

" Ryouta, call her Tetsuko. "

" Eeh?! B-but tha- " Kise began, goosebumps appearing on his arms. He began to murmur to himself in panic. Akemi stared at him as a form of torture. It was an obvious translation for _If you don't do as I say, good luck in modelling with a bikini on for your next photoshoot_.

Holy crap, he definitely did not want that. Anything that doesn't make Tetsuko think he's a disgrace.

" Um, Ryouta-kun. You don't have to force yourself, you know, " Tetsuko put a hand on his shoulder, her large, light blue orbs looking at his face with concern that could never be noticed by anyone who wasn't close to her. _This isn't a matter of forcing myself, Kuroko-cchi. It's a matter of my life! _He desperately sent a message through telepathy, which Tetsuko did not catch. However, Kise's heart skipped a beat at Tetsuko's calling and blurted out.

" Tetsuko-cchi! " Kise shouted, his face so red it could be in a commercial for tomatoes.

" That's better! " Akemi slapped the tomato's back, laughing. Alexandra could have died from the cuteness while Minori had just finished recording the whole scene using her phone. Tetsuko softly smiled at Kise, mouthing, " good job, at least you won't be murdered. "

" Tetsuko-cchi, you did catch that! " Kise frowned and pouted.

* * *

This was an extremely awkward situation for Kise.

It was currently 1am and Tetsuko was just beside him, sleeping peacefully. Kise could not sleep. The lamp was still switched on.

Kise was shocked by the news that Tetsuko was going to sleep over. Immediately, he went to clean his room of anything that could disturb Tetsuko. An example? Photo albums that were full of Tetsuko's face in it. He would have died if anyone discovered it. As he lived a modern life, the family felt no need for futons and instead bought beds.

Where was Tetsuko sleeping? The bed he sleeps on everyday.

Where was he sleeping? The bed he sleeps on everyday.

Counting sheeps is futile when he had a beauty for a crush sleeping right next to him.

" Hey, Tetsuko-cchi, are you asleep? " He mumbled, not expecting an answer.

" I am, actually, " she replied back. Shifting around, she settled on a position that allowed her to see Kise's face. Kise blushed in embarassment, thanking no one else in particular that the light from the lamp was not enough to let his blush look visible to the girl. The sleepwear she was wearing allowed Kise to see some of her cleavage.

_God darn it, Tetsuko-cchi_, he whined in his head. He sat up and turned his face away to prevent something shameful to happen to his body. Tetsuko did the same and tugged on Kise's sleeve, tilting her head puzzledly. Pursuing his lips, he turned to Tetsuko and blurted, " Hey, Tetsuko-cchi, what if I told you I have loved you ever since we were children? "

Tetsuko's eyes widened, staring at the man for a few seconds and gave him a dazzling smile that could stop his heart, " that..would probably make me extremely happy, Ryouta-kun... "

"..But, that would make me extremely troubled too, " Tetsuko lowered her head, her smile slowly fading. Once again, she touched the earring. Kise could have sworn that she was shedding tears. By instinct, Kise leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her, comforting her with a sincere hug. " It's alright, Tetsuko-cchi, it's alright, you don't have to answer straight away, " Kise whispered. Tetsuko responded by wrapping his body as well, sobbing silently.

Kise broke free from the hug and brought his face close to hers, he gave the girl a short yet passionate kiss. Tetsuko was surprised and struggled, but eventually gave up, feeling the warmth and love from the blond.

_No matter how old you are, you're still the same as always._

The two of them laid down on the bed to retire for the night, Tetsuko was about to doze off when she felt warm lips on her forehead.

Only Kise saw the peaceful smile she had when she was sleeping.

After Kise tousled Tetsuko's hair and a goodbye to the Kise family, Tetsuko and Alexandra were driven back to their house. Alexandra cooked up an amazing and delicious breakfast, which was plain but filling for the mistress. The two of them happily chatted about the events that happened during their stay ( excluding what had happened in the bedroom, of course ) while Alexandra energetically chugged her beer down.

" Beer in the mornings is unhealthy, Alexandra-san, " Tetsuko warned between sips of her vanilla milkshake.

" Same goes for you, Tetsuko-chan, drop the suffix already! " Alexandra countered. Tetsuko nodded in response, mentally noting to do it later. They became quiet for a while, before Tetsuko interrupted the silence.

" I want to get a job. "

Alexandra choked on her beer at her decision, sputtering the drink, she replied after a coughing fit, " wait, are you for real, Tetsuko-chan? You do know the head will give you your allowance every month? A really high sum, too! "

" Then, Alexandra-chan, please call up the Kuroko family and tell them that from now onwards, I won't need money from them unless I urgently need it. "

Alexandra had a very stubborn young mistress to deal with and immediately gave up at the idea of an argument.

" Fine, fine. But I have one condition, you have to find a job within one week, got it? " Alexandra sighed, holding her glass of beer again.

" Fulfilled, I called up a popular convenience store and they hired me in after a short interview over the call while you were preparing breakfast, " Tetsuko answered. Alexandra was surprised, " which company even holds interviews over the phone? " She mocked.

" A convenience store by the name of Seirin. "


	3. Surprised

**Author's Note:**

**Again, thanks for the reviews, favourites and follows! I thought I might have ended up giving up in the middle due to all the long passages I have to write. Thanks for putting up with some grammar mistakes and unlogical flow, by the way! Oh, and I think there's too much conversation and too less narration for this chapter, so my bad.**

**shirobara1: Thank you! And no, frankly, I don't think I got any inspiration from elsewhere, just sat on my chair and began to think up of some feasible AkaFemKuro plots. Did this plot make you think of any references? Do tell!**

**DemFeels: That is for me to know, and you to find out. ;)**

**Oh! I was supposed to add in an omake for chapter 2, but I ended up forgetting since I wanted to update as soon as possible. I hope you guys wouldn't mind if I typed it here? owo"**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no Basuke.**

* * *

_**OMAKE FOR CHAPTER 2**_

Tetsuko, along with Alexandra, had left the Kise residence at 6am. Kise was a really heavy sleeper, but for the sake of sending the girl off, he had forced himself to get up, which caused his two elder sisters to grin and tease him.

His bedhair still untamed, he yawned and rubbed his eyes.

" Ryouta-kun, I think you should really go back to bed. You don't have to trouble yourself, " Tetsuko persuaded. Kise refused to give in and grabbed Tetsuko's hand, leading her to the entrance with the sound of his feet's dragging. Alexandra silently followed from behind, covering her large grin. Once they had reached the door, Kise patted her head and gave the two a goodbye.

Returning to his bedroom, he went back to his bed and hugged his bolster. He buried his face onto his pillow and turned extremely red. Kise rolled around the bed and eventually fell down, but what he could only think of was,

" _I took Tetsuko's first kiss! _"

He couldn't sleep afterwards.

* * *

" Um, is the cashier here? " A customer called, tapping his right foot and checking his watch impatiently.

_Aah, I'm really bad at this_, Tetsuko thought and repeated the sentence she had said for the fifth time.

" That would be- "

" 400 yen, sir, " A large body towered over her and she turned around. Giving him an apologetic stare, he replied with a quick glance while handing the change to the unforbearing businessman. The customer grabbed the plastic bag and hastily exited the store. The duo stood still until Kagami spoke up in an exasperated tone.

" Oi, you ought to sign up for some lessons on how to attract attention to you or something, " Kagami scratched his head, giving a look that obviously read _what can I do with you?_, Tetsuko turned her head and puffed up her cheeks, speaking in a brutally rude manner, " Such things don't exist. I suggest you take up some anger management lessons, they do have them in Earth. "

**" You two. If you don't quit it, I'll fire the both of you. "**

Kagami and Tetsuko gulped. No way would they want to face a bipolar chief. Tetsuko turned to Hyuuga and bowed down, mumbling a " sorry ". Hyuuga's eyes softened and tousled the girl's hair while punching the male senseless as a punishment for not apologising. Tetsuko hid her smile while thinking back of how the employees had welcomed her.

_" Excuse me, but I'm the new employee. I am Kuroko Tetsuko, nice to meet you. From today onwards, please take care of me, " Tetsuko bowed to a female employee. She figured it was the one who had talked to her through the phone, there wasn't any more females she could find and decided to talk to her instead. The female blinked and let out a yelp of surprise. Scratching her head, she laughed awkwardly and introduced herself, " Sorry, I didn't see you there. I am Aida Riko, the assistant, pleased to meet you! We actually have enough people for the convenience store, but due to some of their busy schedules, we needed some workers to fill in the empty time slots. By the way, pardon me for asking, but isn't Kuroko a really prominent family? "_

_Tetsuko nodded stiffly, which Riko had caught and decided not to speak any further on the topic. Riko checked the clock and brightly told the girl, " Hmm, it's currently 4pm, so you might be able to meet Junpei, Tsuchida-kun, Izuki-kun and Mitobe-kun. When bad things come to worse, Tsuchida-kun might not be coming if he's running errands for his girlfriend. " The bell rang, signalling someone's arrival, " ah, that must be Junpei and Izuki-kun, " Riko cheerfully said and gestured the newcomers to enter the staffroom. The duo walked in and noticed Tetsuko, who bowed at them as a greeting. Riko elbowed Hyuuga and told them to do an introduction. _

_" Oh, yeah. Uh, I'm Hyuuga Junpei, the boss of this convenience store. I expect the best from you and er, pleased to meet you, I guess, " Hyuuga finished his introduction, shifting his view between Riko and Tetsuko. Tetsuko gently smiled and asked. _

_" By any chance, are you and Aida-san a couple? "_

_" Damn, you're extremely perceptive, aren't you? " Hyuuga's face heated up, reaching to hold Riko's hand. Riko blushed and turned her head away from Hyuuga, using her other hand to tug on his shirt. The other man sighed and spoke up, " don't mind them in their world. I am Izuki Shun, the most izukirresistible employee here. Our packaged steak is steakalicious! Crap, that was a good one! I ought to write that down.., " Izuki rummaged in his bag and drew out a notebook and pen, opening it up to write his freshly thought up pun. Tetsuko found the puns extremely lame, but shrugged it off. _

_" Yo, Tsuchida can't make it for today, so he asked me to take his shift- Wait, who's that? " A red-haired man with a tall build had a hamburger in his mouth barged in, staring at Tetsuko curiously. Tetsuko introduced herself for the fourth time, which led Kagami to look suspicious, " I get the feeling I have heard your name before, but I suppose it's not important. My name is Kagami Taiga, pleased to meet you. "_

" Junpei, Junpei, he's supposed to go home urgently today. How are you supposed to wake him up? " Riko whined, hitting the glasses-wearing man with a paper fan that appeared out of nowhere. Hyuuga gingerly touched his head and playfully glared at his girlfriend. The two looked up at a certain Tetsuko holding up a pail of warm water and a wet floor sign. With a straight face, she dumped the contents onto the unconscious, which caused the red-haired victim to sputter in shock.

Accusingly pointing a finger at the culprit, he shouted, " Hey, that could have gotten my face scalded, Kuroko! "

Tetsuko simply replied by placing the wet floor sign on the ground. She frowned, " Kagami-kun, it's wet. I didn't expect you to be the type to play with water. "

" Really, fuck you, dude, " Kagami grabbed the towel that was tossed to him by a certain Izuki who was chuckling and dried himself off. He was soon attacked with the same paper fan that was used to hit Hyuuga by Riko, who scolded him for using such profanities towards a girl. Kagami grabbed his bag and said his goodbye, hurriedly leaving the store. Mitobe helped to wipe the floor clean and received Tetsuko's thanks. He nodded and smiled, retreating to the staffroom. Tetsuko shaked her head and sighed in a fond way; Mitobe may be a man of few ( or none at all ) words, but everyone acknowledged him as the mother-like figure of the employees. The man would often bring in some of the leftovers he had when he cooked too much for his large family and man, after a loud burp, the usually moody chief would pat his stomach and tell the quiet one enthusiastically, " with such talents like this, I wonder why you intend to work in Seirin when you can be a chef. "

Mitobe becomes extremely happy when he received compliments about his cooking. Though, to Hyuuga's dismay, the taller man could get away with it without knowing and stuff more food to the already bloated boss. The bells that hung on the door handle rang again, and Tetsuko looked up, expecting a new customer.

" Tetsuko-chan~ Are you here? Damn, Japan is so big.. " A familiar sound called out. Tetsuko smiled at the source. Tetsuko walked up to the blonde and asked curiously, " Alexandra-chan? Why are you here? "

" Ah, Tetsuko-chan! You see, sorry to pull ya away from your work, but I just got a call from the main residence and you're requested to go back for a meeting with the second marriage prospect. Apparently, I could hear Kise-bocchama, wait, no, Kise-_chan_, during the phone call. So, is it alright if we go back home and get you dressed up? " Alexandra informed her while holding up her yellow cellphone. Tetsuko noticed that she was rather distracted, but decided to ask after she had gotten permission to leave. Turning around to ask Hyuuga, he opened his mouth to reply, but was soon interrupted by Izuki, " It's alright, Kuroko-chan. It's about time that Koganei will have reached the store. You can go back and attend your appointment. " Nodding gratefully, Tetsuko changed out of her uniform, slung her bag on her shoulder and exited the store with Alexandra after a " see you tomorrow " to the employees present. She was rather happy to have received everyone's phone numbers and email addresses, keeping the paper safely in one of the pockets of her bag.

Checking her watch, Alexandra turned her head and smiled brightly at her mistress, " we still have 2 more hours, so I suppose we could take it slow for now. The train station is just 3 minutes away, after all. "

" Alexandra-chan, you looked rather distracted just now. Was there something that caught your eye? " Tetsuko changed the topic, seeming worried for the American. Alexandra was surprised, her eyes became more focused and she took off her glasses. The duo came to a stop. Rubbing the lens with her shirt that hugged her figure, she spoke, " actually, when I was walking to the convenience store you were working in, I saw this red-haired man coming out of it. I came to work for the Kuroko clan since I thought if I did, I would have more chances of finding the two kids I had taken care of back in America. The guy I met seemed so similar to one of the kids I had taken care of. "

" Um, do you know his name? "

" Oh, absolutely. His name is Kagami Taiga. "

" You've got the right person, Alexandra-chan. "

Tetsuko hugged the woman who was shedding tears out of happiness.

* * *

**" What a nice earring you have. "**

Tetsuko gasped. Trying to get a sense of her surroundings, she realised she had yet another nightmare again. Her neck felt sore and she silently scolded herself for falling asleep on the cold, hard dining table. She had already finished the tea and snacks that Alexandra had prepared and put on the light purple furisode that hasn't been worn for quite a few months. The furisode was one of her favourite yet sad ones, it was a gift from her mentally unstable mother for her 17th birthday, which was actually just by name in the birthday card. The handwriting was extremely neat, but the signature looked like it was scrawled by a 6 year old kid. She realised that her grandmother was the one that had bought the presents for her when she accidentally looked at one of the postcards her grandmother wanted to send.

The grandmother may be a strict and shrewd woman, but whenever Tetsuko was present, she would take off the mask used to keep people involved in the business with the Kuroko family in place and play with the child.

Yes, Tetsuko cried badly when the grandmother died before her 18th birthday. How could she ever forget the wrinkled face smiling at her with such a gentle smile. Grandmother did not look as youthful as the grandfather, but she was beautiful nonetheless. Tetsuko had personally witnessed one of her grandfather's weak moments. The old man was in his bedroom, staring at a picture of his wife and sobbing.

Alexandra noticed Tetsuko looking pale and decided not to speak. She knew that she had experienced a lot of nightmares from her sleep, and the only way to soothe herself was herself. After Tetsuko washed her face and sat on a chair properly, Alexandra began to work her magic on Tetsuko's hair- half of it which became bedhair due to her sleeping manner on the table. Once it was done, the two of them put on their shoes and left the house to find a car from the main household waiting for them.

The chauffeur opened the car door for them and greeted, " Hello, it's been a long time, Tetsuko-jousama. To you, too, Miss Garcia. " Tetsuko nodded and smiled, entering the backseat. Alexandra laughed boisterously, patting the chauffeur's back and talked enthusiastically about a drink or two in what seemed like a very dangerous bar to Tetsuko. The drive to the main residence was in silence. Tetsuko, Alexandra and even the chauffeur knew that entering the grounds meant business, no fun.

Tetsuko and Alexandra were led to the same room that Tetsuko had entered for the monthly meeting before. A flash of comedic Haizaki entered her mind, but as usual, Tetsuko kept a composed face. Alexandra slid the door open to reveal five people, two of which were a blonde and a blond respectively, her grandfather and two red-haired men.

" Tetsuko-cchi! " Kise's eyes brightened, apparently tired from the serious facade he had to put on when talking to her grandfather. Reaching out his arms, he hugged the girl passionately, whispering a " I've missed you " on her ear. Tetsuko had a small blush on her face and struggled to keep her expression monotone. Thankfully, the intense gaze she had been feeling on her back saved her. She broke free from the blond's hug and was extremely astonished to find the worker, Kagami Taiga, that she did not click very well, to be the second marriage prospect!

" I suppose you two have already met? " Her grandfather raised a brow, his arms crossed in suspicion.

" We have, grandfather. I met him at my workplace, " Tetsuko answered in a polite tone. Tetsuko and Alexandra bowed at her grandfather in respect and in greeting before settling down on the seats that the head had assigned them to. After realising that the older red-head was glancing at her, she respectfully put her fingers on the floor and bent her upper body down, introducing herself, " Good evening, mister. I am Kuroko Tetsuko, pleased to meet you. Please take care of me, " Alexandra did the same, in which the man was shocked and pointed a finger to Alexandra, " Y-you! Aren't you the one who took care of my kid back in America after that incident? "

" Alex?! " Kagami blurted, shocked. Alexandra smiled a smile that was full of joy yet sadness. Feeling in a good mood, she immediately went to hug Kagami, weeping.

" Alexandra. "

Leave it to the head to destroy a perfectly good moment.

Everyone cleared their throat and went back to their seats. The grandfather and Kagami's father chatted about small and trivial things, often laughing in agreement and drinking some sake. It was one of the rarest times Tetsuko saw her grandfather looking so relaxed. No wonder he had chosen Kagami to be one of her marriage prospects, after all, his father seemed to be one of the head's favourite people to be with. Tetsuko noticed that Akemi and Alexandra had moved to another room to chat and Kise had to leave for a modelling appointment ( he made sure to give Tetsuko a chaste kiss and a sunflower before he left ) after the two males did not look sober enough, they kicked Kagami and Tetsuko out of the room. The two silently walked to the entrance, both planning to go home.

" I don't even think this is going to work out, Kuroko, " Kagami spoke gruffly.

" I have the same sentiments, Kagami-kun, " Tetsuko replied.

" You guys are too stubborn and pessimistic, surely you guys can develop your relationship further with the time you guys spend together in Seirin, " out came an Alexandra, smirking. Akemi nodded. " Eh, Akemi? " Tetsuko questioned, puzzled. Wouldn't Akemi refute that? She was the one spoiling Kise, for gods' sake! Akemi shaked her head sadly.

" Nah, from the start, Ryouta, Minori and I knew that it wouldn't work out. Ryouta even cried before you visited. But you know, Ryouta isn't the type to give up, he's going to try capture your heart despite having so much obstacles to face, like Taiga. "

" Dammit, already in first name basis?! " Kagami sputtered, exasperated.

" I address people however I want, Brilliant Eyebrows Bakagami. "

Kagami felt frustrated he could not land a punch on the woman. _Men should not land a fist on women_, he remembered his father saying and shoved his hands into his pockets to resist. A car came into sight and the same chauffeur opened the same car door to let Tetsuko and Alexandra in. The chauffeur told Alexandra that he would consider the offer to the bar.

" So.. see you tomorrow at work, " Kagami scratched his head, looking at Tetsuko after the car windows were slid down.

Letting out a slight smile, she replied, " yes, see you tomorrow, " the chauffeur revved the engine and quietly, the car left the grounds. Turning back to head back to the room with Akemi, she smiled mysteriously.

" Hmhm, you already fell in love with her, didn't you? " Akemi could be a potential stalker or informant.

" ... Shut up. "

* * *

The very next morning, Tetsuko took a nice shower and had a good breakfast to start the day. Watering the petunias that were in the backyard made her feel rather relaxed. She got her bag and exited the house after having said a goodbye to a half-asleep Alexandra, walking to the nearest train station to go to her workplace.

It was rather coincidential that she had bumped to Kagami during her walk to Seirin. Murmuring a " good morning ", his reply was as soft as her greeting and it could be said that Kagami was busy trying to think up of what to say or do in his mind, becoming very flustered. Tetsuko was surprised that Kagami entwined his fingers with hers, she looked up to the tall man puzzledly and searched his face for an answer.

" I mean, y-you do that with a fiancee, right? " He stammered. Kagami was never really sure how to be intimate with other people. The closest he could come close to intimate was sharing his half-drunk energy drink with his other male friends or colleagues. Other than that, he had absolutely no physical contact outside of his family or Alexandra. That Alexandra was extremely touchy, anyway, once, the younger Kagami had called up the hospital and said that she had a weird kissing bug.

After entering the store, their hands were already separated and they begun to start their work after a quick change to their uniform and keeping their valuables in their lockers. Kagami was busy tending to the counter while Tetsuko took care of the lighter things that she had to stack. Many customers started to enter the store, of which were mostly businessmen and businesswoman looking around for packaged meals or coffee. As she moved to the bread section, she knocked onto a male, causing the box of bread she was holding to fall onto the floor.

Tetsuko repeatedly apologised while picking up the loaves of bread and placed them back into the box. The man that she had knocked onto lifted her face up, tucked the locks of hair over her right ear and touched the red earring carefully. The male wore a suit of the finest and expensive material and had black hair with sharp eyes.

" What a nice earring you have. "

_Deja vu._


	4. Unnatural

**Author's Note:**

**Wow, we're finally at the fourth chapter! I feel really warm reading all your reviews. It's really nice to be cheered up in the early morning when I check the fanfic ( somehow, I get terribly riled up when someone disturbs my sleep ), you know?**

**Oh, and not to worry! This fanfiction will definitely end with AkaKuro. WIth the plot like this, its inevitable that there would be a taste of GoMxKuro here and there. Akashi will appear soon enough, just be patient! By the way, this chapter can be really confusing, so it'll be brilliant if you can bear it! There will be hints here and there, so hopefully it'll be used to create a clear picture. I'll just state here that it would be two POVs in this chapter. The chapter seems rather shallow and short too, I apologise. Also, I'll be going on a short hiatus for this story to work on another plot ( also AkaxFemKuro ), I Wouldn't Show You My Eyes and this fanfiction as well. I need to improve, you know? **

**asio-chama: Finally, someone actually pointed out one of my distinct weaknesses, I'm trying to practise how to express love scenes in great detail, so I've been reading some romance novels.**

**Please give constructive criticism, they're appreciated!**

**Disclaimer: Kuroko no Basuke belongs to Fujimaki Tadatoshi.**

* * *

Tetsuko found work strange today.

Confronted by a man, and after that a distressed woman. Tetsuko was still rather distracted by the good-looking man that had complimented her accessory, feeling that something bad might ensue soon, but the worries were soon forgotten when hours later, a beautiful and well-endowed woman donning a uniform that resembled what a servant would wear enter the convenience store.

Well, Tetsuko kind of felt that the maiden could use some proper sleep and care. Eyebags marred her face, her skin that seemed to be milky and fair before became rough and pale and even her hair wasn't very well-off.

She looked frail, Tetsuko thought. Just like an old lady, except that she was young, probably around the same age as Tetsuko as well. Tetsuko pursued her lips indignantly and frowned. Whoever's family treated this poor, lovely woman ought to get punished or retribution. The woman was holding on a basket's handle and was busy piling sweets and snacks into it. She looked so weak, Tetsuko thought her wrist might snap any moment.

Feeling brave, Tetsuko walked up to the female and helped to hold her basket, the female turned to her in surprise and laughed nervously, " did I look that bad? "

" Well, yes. You did, " Tetsuko replied without hesitation. She wasn't the type to mince or sugar coat her words. The female chuckled and tried to tidy her hair with her fingers, " thank you for the help, young lady. My name is Momoi Satsuki, what is yours? "

" My name is Kuroko Tetsuko, pleased to meet you, " she bowed. Momoi blinked and gasped, " Kuroko Tetsuko..? Kuroko? Oh! Please, don't bow at me, Kuroko-jousama, it's my pleasure to have the opportunity to meet yo- "

" No, please, call me Tetsuko-chan. It's really kind of strange to have people refer to me that way, " Tetsuko pouted. Momoi hesitated, but finally gave in after much prompting. Momoi looked at her watch and hastily took out a notebook, " Tetsuko-chan, I'm sorry, but I'll have to leave or bocchama would punish me. There'll be a room check today, so if it's alright, I'll leave this with you. You can read it through if you like. "

Tetsuko didn't even have enough time to say goodbye. She left too quickly, too afraid.

After her work, she went back home and took off her shoes, sighing. It was a tough day, indeed, but thankfully the smell of finely cooked rice, fish and miso soup cheered her up. Tetsuko really loved Alexandra's cooking, it was no doubt one of the best things staying with Alexandra.

She was rather surprised to find Kise and Haizaki bickering in her house though.

" Must I always come over when you bloody touch the house with your foot? "

" I didn't tell you to come over though, you jerk, " Kise spat while clenching his teeth together.

Tetsuko sometimes wondered if the two had some kind of quarrel during their previous lives. After a quick meal and a shower, she headed to her bedroom where she found Kise waiting for her. Frowning, she asked, " are you going to stay over? "

" Anything for my darling. "

A pillow greeted Kise's face. Tetsuko unzipped her bag and took out the book that Momoi had gave her and sat herself comfortably on the bed. Much to Tetsuko's dismay, the blond settled himself behind her and wrapped her body with his muscular arms. Tetsuko opened the book and discovered it was a diary. As she silently read, Kise curiously moved to get a clearer view while humming.

_**14th March, Thunderstorm**_

_**Dear Diary,**_

_**Today, I had fun being with him again. **_

_**I brought some food I cooked to his house. The servants led me to his bedroom ( though I can navigate the house already, I've been visiting for over 15 years, mind you! ) and I opened the door to find a pile of gravure magazines and him sprawled on the floor, napping. I couldn't help but think that his bed could be used for charity. **_

_**After he woke up, he kind of knocked his head against a bookshelf that has been dusty for years considering he doesn't use it for better books than magazines. Usually, it would be really hard to wake him, so I just stuffed one of the lemons I brought to his mouth. Hahas, that woke him up in an instant! **_

_**...Though, doesn't that mean the food I cooked is comparable to a smelly sock? I really ought to improve, don't I? Oh well, depressing things aside, he went to open his closet and mini-fridge, taking out what seems to be a necklace and a box of sweets. After that, you know what? I went red after he told me they were presents for me! I didn't realise that it was White Day today, and to think that he remembered makes my heart flutter!**_

_**Heheh, he was being really cute. The necklace was handmade and he didn't want to admit that he had a hard time making it since I noticed his table was full of silver and beads. I really love how it had an ornament shaped like the letter " D ". With such great self-confidence, he declared that that was a sign that I belonged to him and no one else. The chocolates were rather tasty. They looked expensive. **_

_**Being the natural pervert he was, he asked me with a smirk if I was interested in foodplay. Honestly, that guy! I smacked him on the head!**_

" Hmmm, he seems like someone I know, " Kise spoke up, running through faces in his mind. " A man who loves gravure, is lazy and a pervert.. He's quite familiar from this guy I was good friends with in high school. "

Tetsuko was curious, " Do you know his name? "

" Mmm, Aomine something.. Daisuke? Daichi? Ah, yes, Daiki. Man, he was a really cool basketball player, " Kise grinned, reminiscing his memories with the person he had admired. His smile faltered, and he added, " he got really distant during our 3rd year, though. Didn't feel like doing anything, apparently people said he dated several girls and got into fights a lot more often. After three months or so, he disappeared. "

_**13rd May, Sunny**_

_**Dear Diary,**_

_**Ahh, that's too bad. I guess I won't be able to stay with Dai-chan anymore.**_

_**Two days ago, I was forced to be one of the wives for a prestigious family's heir. The 4th wife, in fact. But it isn't all that, I could be compared to something lower than a servant after having such treatment by him. I'm afraid, I don't eat enough, despite my past fears of being overweight. **_

_**What that horrible, despicable man did was beyond wrong. Sometimes when he " felt like it ", he would cuddle and kiss us four and give love equally, when he " did not feel like it ", he'll proceed to punish us for no reason, I was the one receiving the brunt. Now, my body is something that even I would not glance at. I have just gotten news from the third wife that he had dismissed the other two for going against him.**_

_**Nevermind that, I'm just worried for the next wives that will have to shoulder the burden. I wonder how Dai-chan is doing.. **_

" Tetsuko-cchi, I think you should stop. "

Tetsuko trembled slightly. She wasn't exactly used to how serious Kise's voice could seem. Turning around in question, she was surprised to see Kise looking so upset. Kise managed to pull off a smile and pecked Tetsuko's cheek, looking extremely perplexed, " Tetsuko-cchi, it's no good to read such depressing things in the middle of the night. Also, Alex-cchi told me to tell you that you have to cancel your shift tomorrow, you have a meeting with your third choice and you'll have to travel to Akita as well, so it'll be good if you go to sleep now. I heard Kagami-cchi is going there for some business, and I have work that I can't take leave from, so yeah, Kagami-cchi can be your escort for tomorrow. "

Tetsuko nodded and closed the book, placing it inside her desk's drawer and returned to her bed. She allowed Kise to pull the covers to ensure that she would be warm and snug, and soon dozed off into dreamland.

Kise opened his eyes and carefully got off her bed, sitting on her chair, he took out Momoi's diary, and began to read.

* * *

" I apologise, Kuroko-jousama, but Young Master is still sleeping, " one servant sincerely apologised, her eyes darting around nervously. Tetsuko frowned.

" May I know where the head is? "

" Yet again, I apologise from the bottom of my heart. Both the head and his wife are currently holding a meeting with the Young Master's elder brothers and sister, as we're speaking. "

_How rude, to keep a guest waiting_, she thought furiously, rubbing her thumb and index finger between her earring. Tetsuko wasn't someone you could anger easily, but when it comes to etiquette or vanilla milkshakes, she could be really fussy about them. It was rare for her to decide to use her authority, " Lead me to his bedroom, it's an order. "

The servant was rather shaken up by this, having heard rumours about the Kuroko's family princess being a kind and mild-mannered one. The servant silently navigated around the large shrine-like house and slid the door open to the sleeping Young Master's room. Bowing her head, she left to return to her chores.

Tetsuko entered the room and stared exasperatedly at the bed, where a person was lying on. The bedroom was extremely untidy, and she had to resist herself from actually taking up the job of cleaning it. Releasing a huff, she walked to the sleeping figure and shook him slightly, frustrated. She was caught out of surprise after having repeatedly whispered " wake up " for a good eleven times.

The male abruptly woke up and snapped. Grabbing her wrist, he pulled her to his bed and pinned her down, cornering Tetsuko. He had a tall and large built, Tetsuko noted. Tetsuko tried to struggle and break free, but the man chuckled, seeming very disinterested at her attempts. His purple eyes were captivating, Tetsuko can't help but to stare. He showed too much skin due to his loose heko obi, his kimono coming loose and bared his thighs and shoulder. There were tons of candy wrappers on his bed that could attract insects if he did not clear it up.

" Heeh, so you're the marriage prospect nii-chan had been talking about? "


	5. Impolite

**Author's Note:**

**Welp, I'm back for A Noxious Compulsion, people. Thanks for the reviews and follows! uwu I won't really be able to update so much now, since I have school. The next holiday would be in June, and it would be a month long, so hopefully by then it'll reach chapter, um, 10? ( Trust this author to think so far ) This is quite short, and hopefully it'll get the story of Murasakibara through.**

**Also, if you have time, mind checking out my other fic? - shamelessly self-promotes - And yay, Murasakibara appears! I see some authors I read fanfics from giving reviews, and all the joy I feel can't be put into words. **

**Please leave a review after reading this, yeah? **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no Basuke.**

* * *

" Firstly, I'll like you to get off me, Murasakibara Atsushi-kun, " Tetsuko demanded. Murasakibara shrugged and instead, pushed her off the bed and tossed his upper weight down, his pillow sinking a bit. _Such a rude man_, Tetsuko thought furiously as she stood up and patted her kimono, deciding to clean up this one wreck of a room. She picked up a wrapper and glanced at the ant happily nibbling on the leftovers of the snack before throwing it into a plastic bag she found lying at the corner of the room.

She could feel Murasakibara's eyes observing every movement she made while producing a yawn. He stretched, wincing at the muscle pain he registered at having been in bed for at least 2 days. Tetsuko rolled up her sleeves, took out the hairpins she had her bun in place and clipped them on on each sleeve to ensure it wouldn't fall off. They weren't very handy, but they'll do. Once again, she bent down to pick up yet another wrapper when the sloth finally spoke up.

" You don't have to do it, Kuro-chin. Someone else will come and clean it, " the 208cm tall man yawned again. Tetsuko felt rather displeased at how he had referred to her like they were good friends, but decided that she did not want to argue with an idiot. She taught herself that fighting with an idiot would just bring her down to that idiot's level. " I insist, " she replied and tied the plastic bag she had been using as it was full, picking up another bag she could find to collect the rubbish.

" Don't you work? " Tetsuko asked casually. Sure, she may be peeved by his personality, but being polite was one of her distinct traits. Murasakibara gazed at her and replied, " no. I don't wanna do anything. I rather stay home and sleep. "

But, people who don't put in effort really angers her.

" Then go be a vegetarian, moron, " she muttered, throwing the poor candy wrapper into the bag with more force than before. Looking around for more trash to clear, she found Murasakibara's wardrobe that looked like it was going to explode once anyone laid their hands on the handle. Her eyes caught an article of clothing that was way too familiar for her and way too strange for him to have it.

_A strap.. Wait, isn't that too similar to a bra strap? _Tetsuko was confused and shook her head slightly, deciding to get back to the job that she had taken up herself. After she finished cleaning the room up, she'll have a nice chat with this sorry excuse of a fiance, and turn him down. Her plans were however disrupted when she heard the shuffling of feet which stopped in front of Murasakibara's door. The person opened it slowly and it turned out to be a pink-haired woman.

Tetsuko's eyes widened. Momoi Satsuki had supposedly heard of her arrival and kept a calm composure, she profusely thanked Tetsuko in a formal way for going to the trouble of clearing his room and picked up the bags. Tetsuko had too many questions to ask, and thus headed out to try talk to the frail friend she had made in the convenience store. Tapping her gently on the shoulder as if she was afraid that she might break into pieces, Momoi turned around to the touch and her eyes darkened, pursuing her lips, like it was a lid to her bottled-up hysteria. Tetsuko could see the glaze in her rose-coloured orbs, Tetsuko's blood ran cold, her soul strickened. Momoi had gone through so much trauma she could see depression as the only path she had to walk.

" Momoi-san, what exactly is Murasakibara to you? "

A laugh that Tetsuko felt was being forced to sound lively rang on her ears, Momoi replied with a hollow smile which Tetsuko wanted to get rid of.

" He's my husband. "

* * *

" Murasakibara-kun. "

" What? " Murasakibara had finished taking a shower and changed to his casual clothing, he opened a bag of potato chips easily and began eating. " Oh, but if you want to reject getting married to me, you know, it ain't my decision. You can always ask my brothers and sister, but they're still busy anyway. "

" I won't need to negotiate. I will take Momoi-san with me, and I would not listen if you have any complaints. "

" Mm, that's fine. If you two want to leave, go. She's useless already. Lost her beauty after a week. Oh, but if you're going to leave now, I'm afraid you can't, " Murasakibara drawled, his words a bit muffled from the chewing he was doing. Tetsuko was puzzled at his last sentence and huffed, exiting the room and hastily rushed to the entrance, where Momoi was waiting for her to leave together.

However, when she finally reached the gates, Momoi looked more paler than before, after having noticed her presence, she stuttered, shivering in fright and played with her fingers while her eyes darted between Tetsuko and three purple-haired people that Tetsuko found to look similar to Murasakibara himself. Immediately, she realised that they were his elder siblings, and was about to say her goodbye when Momoi interrupted her thought.

" T-Tetsuko-chan..., "

" ... I think t-they locked the gates. "


End file.
